Landscape Shooters - What Type Of Tripod Head?

I was just wondering what sort of Tripod head all you seasoned landscape shooters prefer.

I currently have a Manfrotto 055XPROB tripod with a 488RC2 ballhead, and whilst I'm generally happy with it for general use, I do find it a PITA to get an exact adjustment from it to adjust to the level on my hotshoe.
Even if you get it level, when you tweak the knob to tighten it, when you let go, the bl**dy thing always moves

Would a normal 3 way pan & tilt be recommended for landscapes?

Your thoughts and experience is welcomed

NinetyEight wrote in post #6956806
I was just wondering what sort of Tripod head all you seasoned landscape shooters prefer.

I currently have a Manfrotto 055XPROB tripod with a 488RC2 ballhead, and whilst I'm generally happy with it for general use, I do find it a PITA to get an exact adjustment from it to adjust to the level on my hotshoe.
Even if you get it level, when you tweak the knob to tighten it, when you let go, the bl**dy thing always moves

Would a normal 3 way pan & tilt be recommended for landscapes?

Your thoughts and experience is welcomed

I also had the RC2 and I also found it a pain in the tush. I can't remember the model off-hand, but I stepped up to a pan / ball head which had the second lever. Pretty happy with that.

Don't forget about the weight-handling specifications. My RC2 also slopped around after I made adjustments and let it go - very irritating. But I think that is because it is a light duty head. Go with something that is capable of handling more weight and you will get something that is more steady, not to mention the fact that you may add a long, heavy lens to your arsenal in the future.

Thanks for the input CannedHeat

I think the RC4 QR plate is a bit too big for a DSLR, this is designed for medium format really, besides the 488 head is also available as an RC4 and all that is different is the size of the QR plate, the ball assembly is identical.
The 488 has the panning function lever, but this doesn't help with general stability.
Once the ball is tightened i've never had a problem with movement, its just when tightening it up that it moves slightly.

The 488 is rated at 8Kg so should take a 50D with 10-22 or 17-40L... maybe I should look at some different makes.

NinetyEight wrote in post #6956806
...Even if you get it level, when you tweak the knob to tighten it, when you let go, the bl**dy thing always moves

Would a normal 3 way pan & tilt be recommended for landscapes?

Your thoughts and experience is welcomed

Get yourself a better quality ballhead that doesn't drift or droop...those by Markins and RRS come to mind. A little more expensive, but much more reliable...

I use the Bogen 410 Gear Head. It is great for landscapes. It is very easy to make precision adjustments. And I have never had it move when I set it!

There is a downside though - as with all 3-way heads, it takes time. For landscapes it is not a problem. But it does not match the versatility of a ball head for a variety of subjects. Just try tracking wildlife with one!

Mmmm, I've been looking at the RRS and Markins heads and may have to take out a second mortgage to pay for them!
I may have to live with it for now, but thanks for the input everyone.

Like Canned heat, I too dumped the RC2 system for the more reliable A-S system via Markins and RRS. And for much the same reason.

Sadly you are right, it's second mortage country. I've just sent RRS an email enquiring about a 100-400L lens collar replacement, Now thats going to be expensive by the time it reaches me in the UK, i bet.

I voted Ball head because that is what I own, however having used the ball head for a few months I miss the conveniance of making small adjustments with a pan and tilt.

nwa2,

Ah, then you need to play with a Markins ballhead for 10 minutes. It allows you to tweak the composition but will stay put indefinitely without breaking sweat.

Recently bought the Arca Swiss D4 geared head. Not done a great deal with it but I like it so far. Quick adjustment like a ball head and also the precision of a geared head.

I have the Manfrotto 496RC2 head on my tripod.

While Markins and RRS are top of the line in quality that come at a premium price, you can get into a decent Swiss Arca head for much less - check out the Sirui K30x and K40x units. There are many favorable reviews of them and quite a few POTNers are pleased with them, myself included.

I use anAcraTech GP. It works like a conventional ballhead with a friction control, but can be inverted and used as a pan head. The drop slot allows it to be used as a gimbal as well. It's also stupid light and it's open design makes it quite durable.

BTW, if you haven't used a ballhead with a proper friction control you don't know what you're missing. When set propperly, the friction control will hold the camera stead while still allowing you to move the camera if you need too.

I don't know if PhotoClam are as expensive as Markings now, but I got one relatively cheaply from Taiwan before they were generally available in the US. Much easier to get the shot lined up without that annoying sagging as you are tightening it. For me also actually better than the Markins because the rotation portion can be tightened more than with the Markins, at least when I was looking.

I don't want to offend people personally because they like their Manfrotto gear, but honestly in MY opinion Manfrotto is junk for 'serious' use. Maybe good value for what it is, like say an EF-S 18-55, but limited. Once you move up, I would suggest getting something you are not going to have to replace, but it will cost you as much as a good lens - although in reflection it now seems quite reasonable to me.

You do want to make sure the ballhead you want is compatible with the clamp you want (and the tripod, although that is not usually a problem). One reason I didn't get the ArchaTech - I didn't care for the clamp and it won't fit a RRS lever clamp.

Buying a good tripod/head/clamp (after my first cheap one to get re-started) was the hardest buying decision of any camera gear for me.

NinetyEight wrote in post #6970639
Mmmm, I've been looking at the RRS and Markins heads and may have to take out a second mortgage to pay for them!
I may have to live with it for now, but thanks for the input everyone.

To get Markins strength and Manfrotto prices, get a Sirui K30
http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …LHT3p-9y8kCFSUSfgodwGsLtA


I've owned a Markins for about ten years now, and love it. so I'm not talking up the Sirui without knowing what a Markins is like.